Perry's passed-over pick for A&M president resigns

Associated Press, ,associated Press

Published 8:05 pm, Sunday, April 20, 2014

COLLEGE STATION - A Texas A&M University executive whom Gov. Rick Perry wanted promoted to school president quietly resigned after not getting the job, becoming the latest top campus official to step down in recent months.

Guy Diedrich left his $300,000-a-year post as vice chancellor for strategic initiatives in March. His departure comes after Perry lobbied regents in December to name Diedrich interim president at the 53,000-student flagship campus.

Perry's public endorsement rankled faculty who accused the governor of trying to impose his political will on his alma mater. Regents instead chose Mark Hussey, a longtime dean at Texas A&M who's highly respected in academic circles at the school.

Diedrich, who came from the private sector, thanked Perry in a resignation letter.

"Your leadership has placed this institution on a new trajectory of excellence, and your support of me personally and the initiatives we took on together made my time at Texas A&M truly special," Diedrich wrote.

A&M officials say there are no plans to fill Diedrich's role.

He's the latest in an exodus of Perry associates from top A&M jobs.

Terry Fossum, former A&M University System vice chancellor for global and corporate partnerships, abruptly retired in December. Fossum, a well-known Perry acquaintance, had worked for Texas A&M since 1987 but retired only a few months after her job that paid $370,000 annually was created. She announced her resignation less than a week after regents unanimously voted to name Hussey interim president.